Green River gymkhana

Lydia Dunham carefully balances an egg during the egg race.

A gymkhana is any one of various sporting or athletic events, such as a field day for equestrians, and a field day is what was hosted by the Green River Riding School recently. For the riding students who have participated during the year, this gymkhana displayed the many things that have learned. Green River Riding School welcomes students who have their own horses along with those who do not. The school provides mounts for those students who wish to learn to ride, but do not have a horse. Ellie Walker of Salt Lake City was the judge for the events.

The events were divided into two age divisions, those 6-11 and those 12 and up. Novice equitation was the first event, and judged the rider's ability to execute commands and suitability of the horse to the rider. In the 6-11 age division, Kira Engleman took first place, Dakota Wetherington took second place, and Tate Engleman took third place. In the 12 and up age group, the class was called open pleasure equitation and Lydia Dunham took first place, Kiersten Ford took second place, Brittney Bastian took third place, and Tracy Engleman took fourth place.

In the next event, bareback equitation, Kiersten Ford won first place, Dakota Wetherington won second place, and Serena Sorenson won third place. For the 12 and up age division, Lydia Dunham won first place and Tracy Engleman won second place.

The next event, showmanship at halter, the 6-11 age group was the largest of the day with eight participants. Showmanship at halter is judged on the grooming and presentation of the horse. Katie Bastian took first place, Serena Sorenson took second place, Kiersten Ford took third place, Mindi Bastian took fourth place, and Kira Engleman took fifth place. For the 12 and up age group, Lydia Dunham won first place, Brittney Bastian won second place, and Tracy Engleman won third place.

Following the judged events, lunch was served to the riders and the spectators. When the competition returned for the afternoon events, it began with a costume class. This class was divided into two classes for the 6-11 age group. In the most original costume class, Kiersten Ford won first place, Kira Engleman won second place, and Corey Gordon won third place. The best costume class was won by Tate Engleman in first place, Dakota Wetherington in second place, and Mindi Bastian in third place. In the costume class for the 12 and up age group, Brittney Bastian was first, Tracy Engleman was second, and Lydia Dunham was third.

The next event, the run, ride, and lead, is a competition that tests the riders on three levels. The rider stands at one end of the arena while a partner hold their horse on the other end. When the race begins, the riders must run to their horse, mount up, ride to the other end, dismount, and lead the horse back across the finish line. This event was open to all ages. Brittney Bastian won first place, Kiersten Ford won second place, and Tracy Engleman won third place.

The egg spoon event was next. While atop the horse, the rider holds a spoon and perches a raw egg on the spoon. The riders then must follow the commands of the judge to walk and trot the horses. The last person with the egg in place wins. For the 6-11 age group, Kira Engleman took first place, Dakota Wetherington took second place, Siven Sorenson took third place, and Corey Gordon took fourth place. In the 12 and up age group, Lydia Dunham took first place, Kresha Eastman took second place, Paul Maynard took third place, Kelsey Cropps fourth place, and Tris Wetherington took fifth place.

The licorice pairs was the next event. In this event, two riders pair up and each hold a long piece of licorice between their teeth, and while following the commands of the judge, the riders who are the last to break their licorice are the winners. In the 6-11 age group, Mindi Bastian and Tracy Engleman won first place, Corey Gordon and Dakota Wetherington won second place, and Serena Sorenson and Siven Sorenson won third place. For the 12 and up age group, Kresha Eastman and Klint Eastman won first place, Brittney Bastian and Tracy Engleman won second place, and Tris and Derek Wetherington won third place.

The quadrangle is a timed event. Four barrels are placed in the arena and a specific pattern is run around the barrels. Tracy Engleman took first place and Dakota Wetherington took second place. The final event was the scurry race. This is a timed event in which the rider and horse compete in a series of three jumps, around a pylon, and then back across the three jumps to the finish line. The winner was Kelsey Cropps, with Tracy Engleman coming in second place.

Following the events, Terry Coppin, owner of the Green River Riding School, gave the year end awards. The first was a special award for the student with the most attendance during the year, and this student was also the hardest working as she works at the stables doing chores to pay for her riding lessons. This award, a personal riding helmet, was given to Kiersten Ford.

The showmanship and halter award went to Lydia Dunham. The novice equitation award was awarded to Dakota Wetherington. The open equitation award went to Lydia Dunham. Brittney Bastian was awarded the trophy for basic untimed games. In the timed events, Tracy Engleman took the trophy.